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avail himself of it in the close of a sermon; with his eyes full of tears, and his heart almost too big to admit of speech, dropping into a momentary pause" I am going now to put on my condemning cap: sinner, I must do it; I must pronounce sentence upon you” and then in a tremendous strain of eloquence, recite our Lord's words, "Go ye cursed," not without a very powerful description of the nature of the curse. I again observe, that it would be only by hearing him, and by beholding his attitude and his tears, that a person could well conceive of the effect; for it was impossible but that solemnity must surround him, who, under God, became the means of making all solemn.

He had a most peculiar art of speaking personally to you, in a congregation of four thousand people, when no one would suspect his object. If I instance it in an effect upon the servant of the house, I presume it is not unsuitable. She had been remiss in her duty in the morning of the day. In the evening, before the family retired to rest, I found her under great dejection, the reason of which I did not apprehend; for it did not strike me, that in exemplifying a conduct inconsistent with the christian's professed fidelity to his blessed Redeemer, he was drawing it from remissness of duty in a

living character; but she felt it so sensibly as to be greatly distressed by it, until he relieved her mind by his usually amiable deportment. The next day, being about to leave town, he called out to her "Farewel;" she did not make her appearance, which he remarked to a female friend at dinner, who replied, "Sir, you have exceedingly wounded poor Betty," which excited in him a hearty laugh; and when I shut the coach door upon him, he said, "Be sure to remember me to Betty; tell her the account is settled, and that I have nothing more against her."

The famous comedian Shuter, who had a great partiality for Mr. Whitefield, shewed him friendship and often attended his ministry. At one period of his popularity was acting in a drama under the character of Ramble. During the run of the performance he attended service on sabbath morning at Tottenham-court chapel, and was seated in the pew exactly opposite to the pulpit, and while Mr. Whitefield was giving full sally to his soul and in his energetic address was inviting sinners to the Savior, he fixed himself full against Shuter, with his eye upon him, adding, to what he had previously said, "And thou poor Ramble, who hast long rambled from him, come you also. O end

your rambling by coming to Jesus." Shuter, was exceedingly struck, and coming into Mr. Whitefield, said, "I thought I should have fainted, how could you serve me so?"—It was truly impressive to see him ascend the pulpit. My intimate knowledge of him admits of my acquitting him of the charge of affectation. He always appeared to enter the pulpit with a significance of countenance, that indicated he had something of importance which he wanted to divulge, and was anxious for the effect of the communication. His gravity on his descent was the same. As soon as ever he was seated in his chair, nature demanded relief, and gained it by a vast discharge from the stomach, usually with a considerable quantity of blood before he was at liberty to speak. He was averse to much singing after preaching, supposing it diverted the savor of the subject. Nothing awkward, nothing careless appeared about him in the pulpit, nor do I ever recollect his stumbling upon a word. To his ordinary as well as to his public appearance, this observation applies; whether he frowned or smiled, whether he looked grave or placid, it was nature acting in him.

Professed orators might object to his hands being lifted up too high, and it is to be la

mented that in that attitude, rather than in any other, he is represented in print. His own reflection upon that picture was, when it was first put into his hands, "Sure I do not look such a sour creature as this sets me forth, if I thought I did, I should hate myself." It is necessary to remark that the attitude was very transient and always accompanied by some expressions which would justify it. He sometimes had occassion to speak of Peter's going out and weeping bitterly, and then he had a fold of his gown at command, which he put before his face with as much gracefulness as familiarity.

I hardly ever knew him go through a sermon without weeping, more or less, and I truly believe his were the tears of sincerity. His voice was often interrupted by his affection; and I have heard him say in the pulpit, "You blame me for weeping, but how can I help it when you will not weep for yourselves, though your immortal souls are upon the verge of destruction, and for aught you know, you are hearing your last sermon, and may never more have an opportunity to have Christ offered to you."* His freedom in

Mr. Winter remarks-The expression of offering Christ, was considered exceptionable by some good men, contemporaries, with him whose judgment framed their phraseology ; but

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the use of his passions, often put my pride to the trial. I could hardly bear such unreserved use of tears, and the scope he gave to his feelings, for sometimes he exceedingly wept, stamped loudly and passionately, and was frequently so overcome, that, for a few seconds, you would suspect he never could recover; and when he did, nature required some little time to compose herself.

You may be sure from what has been said, that when he treated upon the sufferings of our Savior, it was not without great pathos. He was very ready at that kind of painting, which frequently answered the end of real scenery. As though Gethsemene were within sight, he would say, stretching out his hand-"Look yonder! what is that I see! it is my agonizing Lord.”— And, as though it were no difficult matter to catch the sound of the Savior praying, he would exclaim, “Hark! hark! do not you hear ?"You may suppose that as this occurred fre

though Mr. Whitefield was orthodox, his affection and zeal were not to be restrained from using free address, while laboring for the conversion of sinners. The language had been sanctioned by the old divines; and in the scriptures we more than once read of "receiving Christ."

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